Product for building construction



April 21, 1936. H. H. HATHAWAY PRODUCT FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed July 29, 1932 via!!! gwuwnto'o [1T 17. Hathaway Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE 2,038,173 PRODUCT FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Harlow Application July 29, Renewed Sep 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a process, and the product effected thereby for-use in connection with building constructions, and more particularly to the process of treating a lath of conventional dimensionsQwith the resultant product, that when applied to said building constructions, not only will the plaster applied to said lath be effectively prevented from cracking and/or falling, but all plaster materials used be reduced to a minimum, involving a marked saving in time, materials used as well as labor.

It is tobe' distinctly understood that my invention is not applicable to the notoriously common sheathing or sheathing lath which are commonly used in connection with the usual lath, but is applicable only to wooden lath of sub stantially the dimension 32" to 48" long, A," to thick and 1" to 2" in width.

It will also be noted that this application relates to a continuation in part of my application, Serial #306,137, filed September 15, 1928, Building construction, Patent No. 1,875,242, granted August 30, 1932.

It accordingly is an object of my invention to provide 'a novel form of process or method for treating a lath, such as herein before de scribed, by subjecting said lath to preferably at least one single action, such as rolling, stamping, pressing or the like, whereby a novel productwill be efiected having sets of means, such as suitable indentations, grooves, cavities, perforations, entirely through, or part way through, and of varying depth of the same'or of different character, overlapping or otherwisa'upon either face and/or both faces, or edges of said. lath, and arranged in such a relation that the grain of said lath will at all times be broken, so that in plastering expansion and contraction will effectively be compensated for.

It is also within the province of my invention to provide one or both edges of the lath with through or'partly through means, such as hereinbefore referred to, and also to provide one or both ends of said lath with pockets, cavities and the like, all for the purposes and advantages hereinafter more fully set forth.

It is also within the province of my invention to treat either or both edges of said lath, in the manner and method hereinbefore set forth, with cut-out portions, extending the entire length of said lath, and/orof varying configuration, depth, length, width and dimensions, but in all cases terminating short of the ends of said lath, whereby suitable pockets or cavities may be provided for retaining the'water' for soaking said H. Hathaway, Los Angeles, Calif.

1932, Serial No. 625,830 tember 20, 1935 lath, preparatory to plastering, said pockets or cavities, also, if desired being provided with said indentations etc., as hereinbefore referred to.

The above, and further objects and advantages of my invention, as will hereinafterbe more par- 5 ticularly set forth, I attain by the method or process, and the product effected thereby, de-

reference characters denote similar parts. In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a building construction, showing my invention applied thereto, parts being broken away to dis- 15 close the structure,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of my novel lath, illustrating a suggestive manner in which said lath may be treated so that the grain thereof will be broken,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view, taken on the line 3-3. Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating a modified way of forming certain grooves, indentations and the like, the latter being of 25 the through variety,

Fig. 5 is a perspective Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 66, Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating a different form of through perforations.

Fig. 8 is a broken perspective view of still another form of my invention in which both edges and both faces are provided respectively with edge water soaking pockets of different configuration, and clincher means.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken on the line 9-9, Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating how the lath may be positioned, showing how the plaster may be applied,

a cross-sectional view, illustrating a modification in which the edge water soaking and plaster key pockets are of still further different configuration, and also how said pockets may be further modified with additional indentations or cavities. 5

Describing my invention more in detail, my novel form of process or method for effecting my novel form of product may be effected in numerous ways such for example by stamping, pressing, rolling or the like, preferably by a single action by any suitable apparatus therefor, not shown, since such apparatus may take numerous forms and be any in practice suggested or needed. Further description and illustration thereof are accordingly not deemed needed.

In addition to the step of the method or process just stated, the lath must be soaked with water, and effectively so, in order that the water will be readily absorbed, especially where hard grains are encountered in practice, in the manner and by the means presently to be described. It will be understood, also, that however the lath is treated, each means formed thereon functions both for forming an effective plaster key, and for an effective and thorough soaking with water, with a minimum use of plaster material.

As seen in the drawing, the reference numeral 2 indicates the lath, preferably constructed of wood, and which may include the culls ordinarily scrapped in practice, since it is impossible to use said culls in practice by the known methods of treating and using lath.

The lath 2 may be secured to the studs 4 by any suitable means, such as the usual nails, which nails, for reasons presently to be described, may be applied at random, thus effecting a marked saving of time, labor and nails.

As hereinbefore stated, either face or both faces, or one or both edges of the lath 2 may be treated by the method or process hereinbefore explained and described so that a thorough soaking of the lath, preparatory to plastering, may be had, but also an effective plaster key formed, whereby expansion and contraction of said lath may effectively be compensated for.

To this end any preferred form of indentation, cavity, groove, cutaway portion of varying con figuration and depth, through perforation, also of varying configuration may be provided, certain of which may overlap or be provided in combination, whereby the grains of the lath may be cut, and said indentations may also be positioned longitudinally and transversely, as in practice preferred or needed. The purpose of so treating a lath is to do what has never heretofore been done, and that is to insure that in all portions of the lath both hard and soft grains are effectively broken, so that expansion and contraction will effectively be provided for.

It will, of course, be understood that I do not in any way limit myself to any particular configuration of the grain breaking means, the plaster key forming means or the water soaking pockets, nor indeed the particular arrangement thereof, longitudinally or transversely, or both, nor as to the dimensions thereof, since all these may in practice be varied to suit the conditions met.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the lath 2 provided with sets of indentations, cavities, grooves, or cut-out portions 6, pressed, stamped or rolled, according to my novel form of process or method, as hereinbefore set forth. Said indentations and the like may be placed in any preferred relation, longitudinally or transversely staggered, or both, and on one side or face of the lath Z, or on both sides, as shown in said figure, and may penetrate the edges 8, or indeed may be formed on said edges, when said edges are plain as indicated at 5', Fig. 4. Moreover, when the edges 8 are provided with water soaking pockets, as presently to be ex-.

plained, indentations and the like 6" may be provided in said lath 2 by the method or process hereinbefore set forth. See Figs. 8 and 9.

If desired, also, longitudinal indentations 6 and the like, such as hereinbefore described, may be provided (Fig. 2 more particularly), in the lath 2, and. said indentations and the like, may overlap said transversely arranged ones, or may be positioned therebetween, as also depicted in Fig. 2, and the other figures, as clearly indicated by similar numerals of reference.

Both longitudinal and transverse water soaking or plaster key forming means may extend entirely through the lath as respectively indicated by the numerals 6 and 6 Further, their configuration may in practice be varied, as more particularly disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6, where through perforations 6 are provided, and these may be of tapered form and extend in any preferred way through the lath 2.

If preferred, also, the through perforations may be tapered inwardly from both faces of the lath 2, as at 6", and these may be of varying depth, as desired. See Fig. '7.

As seen in Figs. 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the edges may be formed with cut-out portions, cavities or pockets l0, which may be of varying depth, configuration and dimensions, as in practice preferred, but it is essential that all terminate short of the length of the lath so that the soaking water will be retained.

In Fig. 5, the pockets in are of varying length: in Figs. 8 and 9, the pockets ID are of varied configuration and extend the length of the lath, but short of said length; in Figs. 10 and 11 said pockets ID are of still further varied configuration, and as several times explained, all of said pockets, indentations, etc., comprise not only water soaking means, but also form effective plaster keys so that a minimum amount of plaster materials may be used.

In Fig. 5 I have shown end pockets H, which are useful in water soaking, and also to form an effective plaster key, which pockets may be used or not, as in practice preferred. Said figure also shows edge indentations, cuts or the like, 1, extending transversely of said edges, for a similar purpose.

The grain of the lath 2 being effectively broken, the fastening means, such as nails may be placed at random on the lath, through the indentations and the like, or elsewhere, which is impossible by known methods of lathing or by the use of known lath, it being necessary to observe the grain thereof, thus reducing the number of nails used to a minimum, as well as resulting in a marked saving of time.

Both Figs. 1 and 10 illustrate how the plaster I2 is applied, Fig. 10 illustrating more particularly how the lath are juxtapositioned to not only form an effective plaster key therebetween and thereon, but also how the plaster as it is applied will not be wasted by falling in the rear thereof, numerous bags of plaster material being saved over the known ways of applying lath and plaster to the building constructions.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have thus described my invention with great particularity, but I desire to have it distinctly understood that the process or method for carrying out said invention in practice, and the product effected thereby, are illustrative only, and may be carried out in other ways, with other resultant products.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lath of conventional dimensions including posed to other laths of the same character, not those provided with through perforations, for only will an effective plaster key be provided in holding water and for forming a plaster key, said plastering, but the quantity of said plaster will lath being provided with a set of edge cavities be reduced to a minimum. of restricted dimensions, said cavities being 3. A lath of conventional dimensions provided adapted to hold Water as said laths are soaked with edge cut-out portions provided with end and with water preparatory to plastering, and also side walls terminating short of each end thereof, for forming a plaster key. said cavities having also positioned therein sets 2. A lath of conventional dimensions provided of indentations adapted to break the grain thereupon each of the edges thereof with cut-out porof longitudinally, transversely and the thickness 10 tions providing end and side walls terminating of said lath to compensate for expansion and short of the ends of said lath for providing at contraction thereof. least one water holding portion and when juxta- HARLOW H. HATHAWAY. 

